I'm sometimes asked the million dollar question: "How long does it take to learn French ?" (or any other language, for that matter.) Another variation to this question is: "How long does it take to become fluent in French?"
Before I go any further, what would YOU answer?
In this episode, I'll talk about the 6 levels of proficiency defined by the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). I'll try to define the notion of fluency and what comes into play regarding how fast you can learn a foreign language. I'll also give you my opinion about quick-learning methods which … Read More →

Listen to a real French lesson that I recorded
This is a new concept to give you the opportunity to have a casual French session on Skype with me, since I can’t commit to recurring lessons anymore. For you, it is a great opportunity to get my personal feedback on your French and ask me anything that you need help with.
Students taking the lesson agree to be recorded (I make sure any personal detail is then edited out) and the result may become a podcast episode…like today! This way, my feedback is both personal and still helping as many of you as possible 😉
When you participate, you … Read More →

Is there a logic to know whether a French verb works with the preposition DE, the preposition A, another preposition…or no preposition at all? This is a major struggle from students of French. Here’s the answer, along with my tips about how to learn the structures. We’ll also talk about the form of the verbs after a preposition.
All these aspects are essential to your French grammar skills, so make sure you listen to this episode carefully! I also encourage you to participate and reuse what you’ve learnt at the end of the episode.
Previous episodes of the series:
Episode 176: … Read More →

In 2016, the map of France changed and now has 13 administrative regions instead of the former 22. What are they now called (and how do you say the name of your region/state/province/county in French?)
Also listen to episode 157: Rules around French country names: why do you say EN France, AU Japon, AU Mexique?": www.frenchyourway.com.au/podcast157
Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episodee
En + fem: en Provence, en Dordogne, en Normandie, en Californie, en Cornouailles(Cornwall), en Nouvelle Galle du Sud
Dans le + masc : dans le Sichuan, dans le Yunnan, … Read More →

In the second part of this series to help you understand and use the French preposition DE correctly, we'll see how it is used when talking about food. I'll also explain why the preposition A is also used when describing dishes and how to choose between the two.
If you wonder why we say:
une sauce tomate / une tarte AUX pommes / une salade DE carottes / un sandwich AVEC DU fromage...
...the mystery will be solved in this episode!
Also listen to:
Episode 176: Understanding the preposition DE (1/3): back to the basics with brushing up the articles! … Read More →

When two words have a different meaning even though they sound alike or have the same spelling, they are called homonyms. In today's episode, find out the different meanings of the words pronounced [ɛr]
Also listen to:
Episode 142: “French homonyms (1): vert, ver, vers, vair”: frenchyourway.com.au/podcast142
Episode 151: “French homonyms (2): mère et père” : frenchyourway.com.au/podcast151
Episode 161: "French homonyms (3): lait, laid, laie (and more)": frenchyourway.com.au/podcast161
Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode
Air (nm) = air, … Read More →

Understanding the preposition DE (1/3): back to the basics with brushing up the articles!
Lately I've received a lot of questions from listeners about the use of the preposition DE (and also the preposition A). These prepositions constitute such a challenge for many students that I decided to make a series of 3 episodes to explain these and help as many of you as possible.
First, I want you to start on solid bases so I'll run you through the 3 different types of articles in French (definite, indefinite and partitive articles). We'll pay particular attention to the meaning of "des" and … Read More →

Au fait, en fait, en effet (and other expressions) explained
Do you know the difference between "au fait", "en fait", and "en effet" in French? Do you know how to use them in a sentence? AND do you know how to pronounce them? (some of these expressions have a sounded final [t] whereas one has a silent final [t].
This question comes from Marian, a listener of the podcast. Marian also asked me to shed light on " mettre à jour" vs "mettre au jour"...pun intended! 😉
Are there other similarly looking expressions that confuse you? Let me know, I'd gladly explain them to you and you may be … Read More →

In the last episode of this series, I'll clarify the rules of agreement of the past participle with reflexive verbs in French. This rule is a little bit more advanced and requires some notions of grammar: you need to know how reflexive verbs work (see the links below for brush-up) and what direct/indirect objects and pronouns are. Some native French people don’t make the proper agreement of the past participle with reflexive verbs because the rule can be tricky - I sometimes find myself hesitating a lot too! Let’s see if YOU can get it right after my easy tips 😉
FYW 106 : "Je me lave, vous … Read More →

This episode is the second part of my conversation with Hélène, a former driving instructor from France who will share information about driving in France. Compare with your own country! We’ll start with talking about the speed limits and recent changes about them in France. Why so much controversy, and what are the reasons behind… Read More →

Many students of French worry about not getting the tenses of their verbs right when they use “si” clauses in French. As a result, I decided to make the structures of the sentences very explicit in this episode, with lots of examples in order to alleviate these worries. If you speak English fluently, you’ll notice… Read More →

About Me

I am Jessica, a native French teacher from the Champagne region, now living in Melbourne. I’ve created French Your Way to provide you with different ways to learn French : podcasts, worksheets, articles, French lessons and much more. Combine them to create the most relevant experience for you! Read More